Changing the Climate: Staff Development Activities that Address the Real Issues, Communication in the Workplace

When large libraries are fortunate enough to have multiple departments where staff are assigned to carry out specific tasks within their unit, broader communication lines within the entire organization are often disconnected. This, in turn, creates a one-dimensional level of communication that often hampers the ability to have a collaborative and engaged work environment within the organization. These environments often result in work relationships that are compartmentalized, providing very little interaction across organizational departments. Transforming the workplace environment to a healthier climate that involves employee engagement and cross departmental communication, can be accomplished through the efforts of a staff development committee. This article examines the effect that an organized staff development committee has on changing the climate in a workplace where the lack of communication among employees is a barrier to creativity and productivity and is often the source of low morale. In addition, this article will provide sample activities and programs that can be used to address communication issues that occur due to compartmentalized environments within workplace organizations.